Never Alone
by XtremeGal87
Summary: Ryuki Oneshot. Something happens to Rika when she's home alone one night; how will Ryo react? Will it cause Rika to push him away for good, or will she realize why he makes her heart flutter when he's around? Rated for violence & language.


_**A/N:**_ This is my first attempt at a Ryuki fic (I'm not even 100% sure that's the word for it…I've seen Ryuki, Ryoki, Ryouki, etc). Anyway, it's a Rika/Ryo. Yes, I'm using the English names. I have no idea how this is gonna turn out; it's supposed to be a one-shot, so we'll see. I hope you like it. Oh, and there will also be minor Takato/Jeri (what's that called again?) and I'm not sure about Henry…lol.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Digimon. It's that simple. And sad.

**Never Alone**

**"I'm home,**" Rika Nonaka declared as she slid the front door closed behind her. Tossing her backpack onto the floor, she slipped out of her shoes and headed into the kitchen, where her grandmother was stirring a large pot of soup.

"Welcome home, dear. How was school?"

Rika pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and leaned against the counter as she drank. "Boring, like always. Where's Mom?"

"She's at a photo-shoot, I think. She should be home in time for dinner. We're having beef and potato stew."

"Cool. I think I'll head out for a while. Later, Grandma," Rika stated before heading back to the front door.

"Be careful, Rika. Dinner will be at six, try not to be late."

"Whatever you say, Grandma."

* * *

**"I got** it! I got it!" Kazu cheered as he all but skipped up to the others.

"Got what?" Takato asked curiously.

"A disease?" Terriermon suggested.

"Probably," Rika mumbled with a small grin.

Kazu finally reached the group, breathless and rambling. "Dudes, I got it! I won it off some wannabe who had absolutely no idea how valuable it is!"

Henry sighed. "What _is_ it, Kazu?"

"Oh, yeah, check it!" he said, extracting a Digimon card from his back pocket. As Takato, Kenta, and Jeri leaned over to look, he added, "GrandKuwagamon!"

Rika rolled her eyes. "What'd you do, challenge a three year old?"

"Well, someone's in fine form today, aren't you, Wildcat?" Ryo Akiyama declared as he walked up, his trademark grin firmly in place.

"Hey, Ryo," Kazu, Kenta, Takato, and Henry chorused.

"Always, Akiyama," Rika replied, deliberately not looking at him. He just grinned wider and leaned against the side pole to the swings, where the majority of the group was gathered.

"Ryo! My man, guess what I just scored?! The GrandKuwagamon card! Man, it's so sweet!" Kazu announced, holding it out for his idol's inspection.

Ryo obligingly took the card and gave it a good once-over before handing it back. "It's in good condition, too. Nice. You gonna use it in the tournament this year?"

"Oh, you know it! Hey, with this card, it'll be me and you in the finals! And then, you know, may the best Tamer win!"

Ryo grinned, not trying to say anything because he knew what was coming. And he wasn't disappointed.

"I intend to. But thanks for the encouragement," Rika stated bluntly from the tree she was leaning against.

Terriermon jumped off of Henry's shoulders and started dancing circles on the ground. "Rika's gonna kick Kazu's butt, Rika's gonna kick Kazu's butt, Rika's gonna-!"

"Terriermon, knock it off," Henry chided.

* * *

**The gang **spent the next couple of hours in the park, talking about random things. Like their upcoming graduation.

"I can't believe we're going to graduate in two months!" Jeri declared from her swing.

"Yeah, it is a little hard to imagine," Takato agreed, smiling at his girlfriend. They'd been going out since the start of high school, when Henry and Rika had finally tricked him into asking her out.

Guilmon tilted his large, red head up at Takato. "Takatomon, what's a graduation?"

Takato looked over at his partner and hesitated. "Um, well, it's…graduation is the word people use for when we leave high school."

Guilmon was quiet for a moment. Finally, he said, "I see. So, didn't you graduation today? And yesterday? And the day before?"

Terriermon laughed and landed on the larger Digimon's neck. "No, silly, he meant when they're _done_ with high school. So they don't have to go back the next day."

"Ooohhh, ok!"

Rika allowed herself a small smile as she watched her friends tease each other. Then she pulled out her cell phone and checked the time. 5:45 pm. Time to go.

Pushing off the tree, she returned her phone to her pocket and slid her sunglasses into place. "I'm outta here. See you guys tomorrow."

"Did we say something?" Kenta asked, most likely louder than he meant to.

"Is everything ok, Rika?" Jeri asked.

Rika stopped and half-turned back to the group. "I'm fine. I promised Grandma I'd be home in time for dinner, that's all."

Jeri smiled. "Ok, then. See you tomorrow, Rika."

"G'night, Pumpkin," Ryo called as Rika started walking away again.

* * *

**Rika had** just slipped her nightshirt over her head when her mother knocked on her door.

"Rika? Are you still awake, honey?"

Sighing, Rika walked over to her bedroom door and slid it open. "I'm still up, Mom. What is it?"

"Oh, good. I forgot to tell you earlier, but, Mom and I have to go to Kyoto for a week. We leave on Wednesday, and we'll be back Tuesday night. Will you be ok home alone, or should I cancel? Or you could stay with your friend Jeri, if you'd rather."

Rika shook her head. "I'll be fine, Mom. Nothing's going to happen. Besides, I have Renamon."

Rumiko smiled. "Good. I'll have my cell phone if you need anything, and I can come home early if I need to, alright sweetheart?"

"Really, Mom, I'll be fine."

"Ok. Well, get some sleep."

"Good night, Mom."

* * *

**Tuesday came** and went uneventfully, and Wednesday morning Rika reassured her mother and grandmother that she'd be fine for a week, locked the house behind her and headed off to school.

"They really do worry too much," Rika said to herself as she walked.

"_It's their job, Rika. Can you blame them?"_ Renamon's voice echoed through her head like a gentle breeze.

"_I guess not."_

* * *

**Rika walked** into the classroom with five minutes to spare and slid into her favorite seat in the back. A couple of girls gathered near the front slid her strange looks, which she ignored.

She'd barely had time to slip her headphones over her ears and lean back, eyes closed, when she heard the same girls start giggling loudly. A moment later she sensed someone claim the seat beside her.

"Morning, Princess. You're looking good," Ryo teased as he settled into the seat beside her.

Rika groaned and turned off her music. "Ryo," she said in reply. Ryo flashed her a grin as Jeri walked in and took the seat in front of Rika.

The slightly younger girl turned around to face her friends and smiled happily. "Good morning, guys. How're you?"

"Morning, Jeri," Rika said, giving her friend a small smile.

"Excuse me," another girl said, standing beside Ryo's desk. Rika rolled her eyes and Jeri chuckled quietly. The brown haired girl ignored both of them, her dark gaze focused entirely on Ryo Akiyama. "My name is Akiko Takashi, and I was wondering if you have a date for the Graduation Ball yet. If you don't, I'd be honored if you would go with me."

Ryo flashed her a charming smile and didn't hesitate with his reply. "It's nice to meet you, Akiko, but I'm afraid I do have a date. Sorry."

Rika and Jeri exchanged a confused look, as they had no idea what he was talking about. Fortunately, Akiko voiced their curiosity.

"Y-you do? With who?"

Even as Ryo opened his mouth to reply, Rika's stomach dropped as she suddenly realized what he was doing.

"I'm going with my queen," Ryo said smoothly, capturing Rika's hand for emphasis and giving it a squeeze.

Akiko finally looked over at Rika, and the friendly look in her eyes gave way to a jealous, meant-to-be-menacing glare. "Oh. I see." And then she turned and walked back to her group of friends, who all almost immediately gave Rika less-than-subtle glares of their own.

* * *

**Lunch didn't** come nearly fast enough in Rika's opinion, as she hadn't yet had an opportunity to talk to Ryo. Their teacher had walked in almost immediately after the girl had walked away, forcing Rika to wait.

Ryo was sitting at the table with the rest of their friends, talking with Kazu about the proper use of modify cards when Rika walked up. She placed her tray of food down beside Henry's and locked gazes with Ryo. Who, of course, was watching her and smiling. He clearly knew what was coming.

"We need to talk, Hotshot."

"So talk, Pumpkin."

Rika clenched her teeth and crossed her arms over her chest. "In private."

Ryo shrugged and stood up. "If you insist, Wildcat."

As they walked away, Rika heard Takato ask what that was about, and knew Jeri would fill them in. Not that she cared whether or not they knew.

* * *

**Ryo followed** the Digimon Queen down the hall and out of the building. She didn't stop until they were standing under a tree, well away from prying eyes. Or ears. Then she turned to face him, her arms once again crossed in front of her white t-shirt.

"Care to explain that little comment you made this morning?"

"What? You mean when I told what's-her-name that you were my date to the Graduation Ball?" He couldn't quite stop the grin from stealing across his face at the angry look in her eyes. _She's so much fun when she's angry. Doesn't she realize that I do it on purpose?_

"That would be the one. Now spill."

He shrugged nonchalantly and leaned an elbow against the trunk of the tree. "Well, it was the best way to get out of going with her, and, besides, royalty should stick together, don't you think?"

Rika heaved a martyred sigh and said, "What makes you think I'm even planning on going to this stupid dance, anyway?"

Ryo's grin widened and he stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for her. "We're all gonna be there, and you know Jeri wants you to go."

Rika frowned. "Give me one good reason why I should go with you?"

_Now we're getting somewhere,_ Ryo thought as he watched her. "Because I'm the only one worthy of escorting the Digimon Queen to her Graduation Ball."

Rika snorted. "Oh, please. That's the dumbest reason I've ever heard. And I'm not going to the stupid ball anyway, so keep dreaming, Akiyama." Done speaking, the stubborn red-head turned and started walking back to the school.

Quickly catching up, Ryo looped an arm around her shoulders, saying, "I notice you didn't deny it, though."

Rika gave him a half-hearted glare and ducked out from under his arm. "Get over yourself. And just so you know, if you use that excuse again, I'll castrate you."

Ryo laughed as Rika walked away. "I'll keep that in mind, Wildcat!" he called after her.

* * *

**Rika sighed** and switched the television off. It was late and there was nothing on, anyway, so she decided to take her shower and go to bed. Stretching, she turned out the lights in the kitchen and living room and slid her bedroom door shut.

"Renamon," she called, knowing her partner would hear her.

The elegant fox-type digimon materialized in the far corner. "Yes, Rika?"

"I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. If you're hungry, there's some leftover spaghetti in the fridge, help yourself."

The yellow and white furred fox inclined her head. "Of course. Thank you, Rika."

Rika allowed another small smile. "Good night, Renamon."

"Sleep well, Rika," the digimon replied before fading from sight. Rika grabbed her change of clothes and bath towel and locked herself in the bathroom.

* * *

**The sound** of footsteps in the hallway pulled Rika from her dream slowly. The seventeen year old blinked a few times to clear her vision before she realized what had woken her up. Quickly, she sat up, reflexively clutching the blanket to her chest.

_Renamon wouldn't make noise if she were walking around. And Mom and Grandma would've called if they were coming home early…someone broke into my house!_

Angry and unwilling to admit that a part of her was scared, Rika threw off her blankets and hooked her D-Power on the back of her dark-blue boxer shorts before quietly slipping into the hallway. The lights were still off, but she could see the faint glow of a flashlight coming from her grandmother's room.

The door was open and the intruder was slouched over her grandmother's dresser, sifting through her jewelry box and pocketing most of it.

"Hey!" Rika called from the doorway, grinning arrogantly when he jumped and spun around. He shined the flashlight in her eyes, trying to blind her. She ignored it. "What do you think you're doing? Put those back and get the hell out of my house!"

She couldn't see his face beyond the light of the flashlight, but she could hear the sneer in his voice. "Are you trying to intimidate me, pretty girl?"

"I don't care if you're intimidated or not; get _out_!"

The light moved closer as he stepped forward, and Rika barely stopped herself from stepping back. She refused to cower to a thief.

"Make me," his voice whispered. He was barely three feet away from her now; she could make out his facial structure despite the light. He wasn't wearing a mask. Before she could respond to his juvenile comeback, he grabbed her right arm and slammed her into the nearest wall. Rika grunted at the impact; he was strong.

"That…was a big mistake," she said softly, glaring at the man. Finally, he lowered the flashlight. His face was covered in stubble and scars from bar fights. His nose looked as though it had been broken at least three times, and he had a receding hair line.

"Was it now? I dunno, you're kind of cute…" he trailed off as he leaned his head closer. His mouth was a hair's breadth from her ear, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. She cringed.

"Ugh, get off me, you freak!" she snapped, bringing her knee up hard, into his unprotected stomach. When he stumbled back a foot, she raised her leg higher and planted her foot against his chest, pushing with all her strength. He fell on his butt.

"You little bitch!" he snarled angrily, climbing to his feet. Rika braced herself, glad he'd dropped his heavy flashlight when she'd kicked him.

"Last chance, creep. Get lost."

He growled angrily and charged her. Too late, she saw a flash of silver in his right hand. A moment later, it bit into her arm, just above her elbow. Despite herself, she cried out from the sudden pain. He back-handed her while she was distracted, before wrapping his free hand around her throat tightly.

"Let's see you squirm your way out of this, bitch," he taunted, raising the switchblade again.

She glared at him and spit in his face. _Renamon, I need you._ Almost immediately, the digimon appeared behind her assailant. When Renamon saw what was going on, she hooked a paw through the intruder's jacket collar and yanked, forcing him to release Rika and drop the knife.

"What the f-?!" the man shouted as he slammed into the opposite wall and slid to the ground. Then his gaze landed on the tall, yellow-and-white furred fox-like digimon who was standing in front of Rika and he paled. "What the hell are you?!"

"Your worst nightmare," Renamon replied smoothly.

The man slowly climbed to his feet and snatched the flashlight off the ground. A dangerous glint in his eyes, he flashed it briefly at Rika and said, "I'll be back for you, bitch." Then he disappeared down the hallway.

* * *

**Neither of** them moved until they heard the front door slide shut loudly. Then Rika calmly picked up the discarded knife, flipped it shut, and put it on the dresser while she gathered what remained of her grandmother's jewelry. _I'm sorry, Grandma._

"Rika, you're hurt," Renamon said softly as she saw the blood dripping down her Tamer's arm.

Rika turned and raised her elbow to get a better vantage point. "It's not that bad," she said after a minute. "It'll heal."

"You should clean it and cover it up before it gets infected."

Rika looked up at her digimon and nodded. "I know." She was quiet a moment as they walked towards the bathroom. When Renamon began dabbing at the wound with a wet cloth, Rika cringed. "Ow. Damn, I can't believe I let him hit me with his stupid knife."

"That's not all he hit you with," Renamon reminded calmly. Rika sighed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The bruise on her left cheek was already starting to form.

"Great. I'm going to have to use some of Mom's rouge or something. Terrific."

* * *

**The next** day, Rika showed up to school wearing a light blue long-sleeved blouse with a bright-red heart in the center, her trademark jeans, and just a little bit of visible makeup. She took her seat in the back corner and crossed her arms on the desk before laying her head down. She hadn't slept well, even after Renamon had assured her that the house was empty, and stayed by her side all night.

Rika was already half-asleep when Ryo settled in beside her. "Didn't sleep well or something?" he asked by way of greeting.

Rika groaned but didn't raise her head. "You could say that. Take notes for me, will ya? I think I'm gonna take a nap."

Ryo lifted an eyebrow. It wasn't like her to be so tired in the morning, and despite the fact that everyone has 'one of those nights,' he knew there was more to it. Gently, he rested a hand on her left shoulder. "Rika? You ok, Pumpkin?"

"Why do you call me that?" she asked grumpily, still without looking up.

"Because it annoys you. Seriously, Rika, what's wrong?"

Rika sighed and sat up. "You're not going to let me sleep, are you?"

"You're avoiding my question."

"Nothing's wrong, Ryo. I'm just tired."

"I don't believe you for a second," Ryo replied smoothly, watching her carefully. His eyebrows flew up when he realized she was wearing makeup. "Why are you wearing makeup? You hate makeup."

"You're wearing makeup?" Jeri asked as she took her seat in front of Rika. Turning around to look at them, she realized Ryo was right. "You _are_ wearing makeup!"

Rika glared at her desk, because she couldn't bring herself to glare at Jeri, and if she looked directly at Ryo, he might see the shadow of the bruise that hadn't quite been covered up. "What's the big deal? So I'm wearing a little makeup. I'm allowed."

"Well, yeah, but-" Ryo began, only to be interrupted when the teacher walked in and called the class to attention. For once, Rika was glad for her teacher's unusual timing.

* * *

**Ryo spent** the rest of the day worried about Rika. He'd tried to talk to her at lunch, but she'd refused to say anything more than she had that morning, and by the end of the day, even Jeri was beginning to suspect that something wasn't 'fine.'

After school let out, Ryo decided to walk with her. He caught up to her just beyond the school gates and settled into a casual pace, hands in his pockets. She had her sunglasses firmly in place, her headphones on, and her head cast slightly down.

"Hey, Wildcat. Mind a little company?"

"I'm not in the mood, Ryo," she replied predictably, never breaking her stride.

"Are you sure you're ok? You've been a little…different today," he asked, completely ignoring her not-so-subtle hint.

Rika sighed and pulled off her headphones. "I told you, I'm fine. I'm just grumpy 'cause I'm tired, alright? So I'm going home."

"Yeah, sure; if I believed you, but I don't."

Rika lifted an eyebrow and half-turned her head towards him before she remembered why she hadn't looked him in the eyes all day. "You don't? And why not?"

"Because usually you're a much better liar," Ryo replied smoothly, a small grin forming on his lips.

Rika froze, and it took Ryo a second to realize that it wasn't because of what he'd said. She was staring past him. Following her startled violet eyes, his own blue ones landed on a stranger. The man was of average height and build, with dark hair and matching eyes, and a very broken nose. He was watching Rika with a look somewhere between hatred and demented lust. Warning bells went off in Ryo's head.

"Well, well. What have we here?" the man said slowly, stepping forward.

Ryo saw Rika tense, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "What do you want?" she snapped angrily, in a tone Ryo hadn't heard in at least a couple of years.

"I think you know. But this really isn't the place, sweetheart. How 'bout I meet you at your house?"

"You ever set foot in my house again, creep, and I'll break you. Now get out of my way." Refusing to let him get to her, Rika stepped forward and pushed her way past him.

She gasped as his vice-like grip clamped down on her wounded arm and forced her to stop.

"Not so fast, girlie," he snarled.

"Hands off, pal," Ryo demanded, stepping up to them and dropping his own hand on the stranger's.

The man looked at him and gave him a frightening smirk. "Take your own advice; this isn't about you, pretty boy."

"She's with me, and if you want to get to her, you're going to have to go through me."

"Yeah? So where were ya last night, hotshot?"

Ryo's eyes widened at the man's words. _Last night? What the hell happened?_ "Doesn't matter. Back off now, before I get angry."

The man laughed, but released Rika's arm. "Give me one good reason to fear you?"

"I can give you five," Ryo replied, clenching his fist angrily.

Rika's hand landed on his forearm, drawing his attention. "Let him go, Ryo. Let's just get out of here."

"You can run all you want, bitch. I know where you live."

"Good for you," she spat, glaring at the man. "You want to stay out of the hospital, you won't come back." Then she turned, still holding Ryo's wrist, and walked away.

* * *

**They walked **in silence until they got to Rika's house. She hadn't released his wrist yet, and Ryo was beginning to think that she didn't realize she was still holding it. When they got to the front door, they both stopped.

"Rika," Ryo started, looking down at the red-head beside him.

"It was stupid," she finally said, after a long hesitation. She looked down, then, and released his wrist. When it became clear to him that she wasn't going to elaborate, Ryo urged her forward.

"What was stupid?"

Rika put her sunglasses away, still avoiding his gaze. "Last night. It was late, like one or two in the morning, and I heard strange noises from inside the house. I knew someone had broken in, because Mom and Grandma are in Kyoto until next Tuesday, so I decided I should investigate. I found that slime-bucket digging through my grandmother's jewelry box and yelled at him, telling him to get out. He slammed me into a wall, I kicked him, and he came at me with a knife."

"He _what_?!" Ryo interrupted, picturing the man from earlier chasing her through her house with a steak knife.

"It was just a small switchblade, but I didn't see it; it was too dark. He got my arm…" she trailed off and rolled up her sleeve so that Ryo could see the small wrap just above her elbow. "Anyway, he pinned me back to the wall and I called for Renamon. That was that."

Ryo's expression was disturbingly serious as he stepped in front of her, forcing her to look up at him. "Did he hit you? Is that why you're wearing makeup?"

Rika hesitated, but finally nodded. "Yeah. He backhanded me before Renamon showed up."

"Dammit, Rika, you're lucky he didn't get you in the stomach with that knife. Tell me you're gonna stay at Jeri's or something until your family comes back."

"Of course not. I'll be fine. I've got Renamon, and he probably won't come back. He's just a small-time crook, and he already got the jewelry." It was at that moment that Renamon appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt, Rika. Your grandmother's on the phone."

"Thanks, Renamon, I'll be right there." Turning to Ryo, she said, "Look, don't worry about it, ok? And please…don't tell anyone."

Ryo nodded sharply. "Fine. I won't tell."

* * *

**Ryo slid** the door open that evening, just after six. "Knock, knock, I have pizza."

Rika, who had been killing time by channel hunting, groaned and stood. Walking to the entry way, she saw Ryo kicking off his shoes, balancing two boxes of large pizza and a duffle bag. _What's he doing with a duffle bag?_ Cyberdramon was crouched beside him silently.

"What are you doing with my pizza?" she asked, snatching the boxes from his grip.

"Well, when I got here, the pizza guy was about to knock, so I paid him and told him I'd bring it in."

"You _paid_ for my dinner? Why? And why do you have a duffle bag? Are you running off to the Digital World again or something?"

Ryo flashed her his trademark smirk and walked past her, into the kitchen. Rika rolled her eyes and followed, Renamon and Cyberdramon falling in line behind them.

"Nah, if I did that, it'd be months before we got back, and I'd miss the ball."

"Oh, no, not this again. I already told you, I'm not going," Rika said as she set the pizza down and opened the top to the first box.

"You say that now," Ryo replied, snatching three slices for himself and depositing them on a plate.

"Seriously," Rika started, handing a plate with four slices to Renamon before extracting three for herself, "what's with the bag?"

Swallowing the bite of pizza he'd just taken, Ryo grinned, knowing she'd absolutely hate what he was about to say. "I'm moving in until your family comes home."

Rika nearly dropped her plate. Her head spun towards him, and she could tell from the look on his face that he was serious. "You're _what_?! What makes you think I'll _let_ you?"

Ryo extracted the final two pieces from the first box and removed another two from the second before handing his plate to Cyberdramon. When he was done, he leaned casually against the counter and locked eyes with Rika. "I can sleep outside if you make me, but either way, I'm staying. I don't trust that that guy won't come back, and I don't want you getting hurt again."

Rika frowned. "I can take care of myself, Hotshot."

"Yeah, but why should you have to? Look, between you and me, that guy doesn't stand a chance. And if he does somehow manage to get past us, Cyberdramon would be happy to have him for dinner."

Rika was quiet as she watched the young man in front of her. Despite the teasing grin on his face, the look in his eyes couldn't have been more determined. She knew that, one way or another, she wouldn't be able to get rid of him. And she wasn't completely sure she wanted to.

"Fine. You can stay."

"Seriously? And here I thought you'd argue for at least another hour."

"Don't push your luck, Hero-Boy."

* * *

**She slept** much better that night, but she refused to believe that it had anything to do with the handsome brunette sleeping in the room adjacent to hers. The next morning, they walked to school together, but they both decided to pretend like nothing was different. Rika didn't want to worry anyone else, and Ryo didn't want to get Rika mad at him.

School was boring and the same as it always was, and soon it was Friday night. Ryo ran out to grab dinner and rented a couple of movies to pass the time. He was tempted to rent a chick-flick, just to see her reaction, but decided that he wasn't willing to watch one, so he settled on a couple of action movies and a cheesy horror film.

"Honey, I'm home," he called after he'd let himself in.

"Aren't you the funny one," Rika teased as she pulled out plates and drinks for dinner.

"I think so," Ryo replied smoothly as he set down the two bags of take-out. "I stopped by the video store and rented a few movies, too. I figured it'd give us something to do."

Rika lifted an eyebrow as she extracted her meal from the first bag. "What sort of movies?"

"Couple action, a little horror…that sort of thing."

"Wow," Rika teased as she took her meal into the dinning room. "What a charmer."

* * *

**They were** half way through the cheesy horror movie, sitting on the couch with nothing but a bowl of popcorn between them, when both Cyberdramon and Renamon stood and turned towards the entryway. Both Tamers looked at them, thinking the same thing. _He's back._

Ryo paused the movie and stood up, holding up his hand to keep Cyberdramon from moving forward. Rika stood up and stepped in front of Ryo, a finger at her lips so he knew to stay quiet. He nodded sharply, forcing himself to let Rika take the lead.

They'd barely taken two steps when they heard the first voice. "Damn, you were right. This place is rockin'! So, which way is it to the bitch's room?"

"Man, _shut up_! You're gonna give us away!"

"Too late for that," Rika declared, flicking the lights on. The two men, dressed from head to toe in black, froze. She'd stepped into the hallway alone, to lull them into a false sense of security.

The man from the other night sneered when he saw her. "You're up kind of late, aren't ya? Or were you waiting for me?"

"That's not really any of your business. I'm not going to say this twice: get out of my house."

"Sweetheart, do the math. Two of us, versus one o' you. And we're bigger, and stronger. But if you give up and play nice, we might let you live."

"Emphasis on 'might,'" the other man added, flicking open his switchblade to make his point.

"Here's an idea. How 'bout you scram and we don't call the cops?" Ryo suggested, joining Rika in the hallway.

Sliding Ryo a sideways glance, Rika said, "I can handle them."

"We've had this conversation, Rika. You don't have to."

"Handle this, kiddies," the first intruder interrupted, pulling a gun out of his pocket.

Ryo immediately stepped in front of Rika when the man pulled out his gun. She made a sound of complaint, but didn't actually argue. "You brought a gun, huh? You think that makes you tough?"

"Shut up, boy. You're not even the one I want, so get lost before I put a hole in your head."

"Ryo," Rika said, finding her voice again. She moved to get out from behind him, but Ryo reached back and grabbed hold of her wrist.

"Stay back, Rika. This guy's nuts, and I won't risk him shooting you."

"You think I want him shooting _you_? He could kill you!"

Ryo grinned at the sudden flash of a familiar conversation, and said, "It's a chance I'm willing to take, Rika."

"How sweet. You wanna die for that bitch, kid, be my guest," the man with the gun stated, aiming it at Ryo.

"Well I'm not. Not this time," Rika said, ignoring what the gunman had said. "Renamon."

The yellow digimon appeared beside the man and quickly knocked the gun out of his grip. The second man cursed and turned to run away, but Renamon jumped in front of him. The first man pulled out a knife and stepped towards Ryo, who was still keeping himself between the intruders and Rika, and smiled sadistically.

A low, dangerous growl drew his attention. Cyberdramon walked threateningly towards the man, his claws clenched, ready to swipe. The man stumbled backwards. "Wh-what are you?"

"I think we've already answered that question," Renamon said, dropping his unconscious cohort on the ground beside him. "It's time you leave."

This time, the man did as she suggested.

* * *

**"What the** hell were you thinking?" Rika demanded when the digimon were out of earshot. Cyberdramon had gone to deposit the unconscious intruder's body in the police department's parking lot; Renamon had gone to follow the other one, to be sure he was gone.

Ryo turned to her, and she was surprised to see that his trademark grin was not in place. For some reason, the utterly serious expression on his usually happy, playful face was disconcerting. "I was thinking that he was either going to shoot me or you. We've been though a lot, Rika, but that doesn't mean I'm going to assume you're bullet proof."

"And you are?"

"Not by a long shot. But I'd die before I'd let someone shoot you."

Rika's eyes widened at the tone in his voice, and despite herself, she felt her heart flutter. Then, trying to ignore it, she glared at him. "And maybe I don't want you to get shot; did that ever occur to you, Hotshot?"

Ryo sighed and dragged a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Damn it, Rika, one of these days, you're gonna kill me," he mumbled absently.

Her eyebrows flew up at his words. "Excuse me?" she asked incredulously.

Without saying a word, Ryo closed the short distance between them and gently grasped her shoulders a split-second before his lips landed firmly on hers. As her mind registered what had just happened, Ryo pulled back and shook his head.

"Sorry," he said softly, his face a little pinker than usual. He turned towards the doorway, adding, "I guess I'll grab my stuff. I can leave Cyberdramon here for the weekend, just to be safe."

Rika gave herself a small shake as Ryo headed towards the guest room he'd occupied the previous night. _What am I doing?_ she thought.

* * *

_**What the**__ hell is wrong with me? Why did I do that? She'll never speak to me again after that._ Angry with himself for royally screwing up his chances, he stuffed his clothes haphazardly into his duffle bag. "I'm an idiot…"

"Yeah, but at least you're cute," Rika said from the doorway.

Ryo looked up, startled, and turned to properly face her. He didn't say anything, afraid he'd mess it up, so instead he watched in silent confusion as the girl of his dreams slowly walked towards him until there was less than two feet separating them.

She looked into his eyes, violet searching sapphire, and he felt a glimmer of hope. She didn't look angry.

"Rika," he started.

She shook her head lightly. "Shut up, Ryo." Then she leaned up and pressed her lips against his, much as he'd done barely two minutes ago. Startled, but not entirely oblivious, Ryo returned the kiss. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, thrilled when she slid her own arms around his neck.

They broke apart a few long, blissful moments later. This time, Ryo's trademark smirk was firmly in place, and his sapphire eyes were dancing happily. "So, I guess I didn't screw up as bad as I thought?"

Rika smiled and gave her head a light shake. "Not this time." Her smile changed into a teasing smirk and Ryo's heart skipped. _She really is beautiful…_

"By the way, I've come to a decision."

He lifted a curious brow. "What sort of decision?"

"You're taking me to the Graduation Ball next month. So save up."

Ryo laughed softly. "Anything for you, Pumpkin." Then he pulled her flush against him again and stole another kiss.

* * *

_***Epilogue***_

**"How do **I look?" Rika asked as she stepped into the living room on the night of the Graduation Ball. She was wearing a full-length, midnight blue dress with a slit up to her mid-thigh on the left side. The top was V-cut and showed a teasing amount of cleavage. The sleeves were off the shoulder, and her hair was up in a stylized bun that one of her mother's hair-dressers had done for her. She was wearing one of her mom's expensive diamond necklaces and matching bracelet and earrings.

Her grandmother smiled and her mother gushed. "Oh, Rika, you look absolutely stunning!"

Rika looked over at Renamon. The loyal digimon inclined her head. "She's right, Rika."

Rika smiled, and someone knocked on the door. Rumiko jumped to her feet. "That must be Ryo! You wait here, Sweetheart, I'll let him in. I need pictures, after all." And then she ran down the hallway to answer the door.

While they were alone, Rika's grandmother walked calmly up to her only grandchild, a satisfied smile on her lips. "I'm so proud of you, dear."

Rika blinked, slightly caught off guard by the announcement. "I…thanks, Grandma. That means a lot. Really."

Her grandmother's smile widened and she held out her arms. "May I have a hug before you leave?"

"Grandma…of course," Rika replied, stepping into her grandmother's arms and returning the hug.

"Oh! Just look at you two! Hold still!" Rumiko declared, extracting her camera and snapping a picture of the embrace. When the flash faded, the two released each other, both smiling.

Rika looked over past her mother, to the young man who stood behind her. Ryo Akiyama was dressed, not surprisingly, in a simple black tuxedo, and he pulled it off well. His eyes were dancing as he smiled at her.

"Ready to go, Wildcat?"

Rika nodded. "I suppose so." Turning to her family, she said, "I'll be back later." After a brief pause, she added, "Ready, Renamon?"

"Always, Rika," the digimon replied before fading out of sight.

* * *

**"You really** do look beautiful tonight," Ryo said once they were alone. Though it was dark, he saw the blush that erupted on his girlfriend's cheeks and grinned.

"Thanks. You don't look half-bad yourself."

"I don't think I've ever seen you in high-heels before," Ryo added as he noticed her matching shoes.

Rika laughed softly and squeezed his hand gently. "That's because I hate 'em. They're uncomfortable and they make it hard to walk properly."

Ryo laughed. "Well, should your feet start to hurt too much, my lady, I would be honored to carry you for a while."

"Oh, please! If they hurt, I'll just take them off."

Ryo pretended to look disappointed. "I suppose that is always another option."

The two continued to talk and laugh until they arrived at the school's auditorium, where the ball was being held. They fell silent as they walked in, scanning the large crowd for the familiar faces of their friends. They found Kazu, Kenta, and Henry talking by the punch bowl and made their way through the crowd.

"Holy-! Is that _Rika_?!" Kazu practically shouted as they approached the small group.

Ryo laughed and Rika rolled her eyes before leveling a glare at the loud boy.

"Yep, it's Rika alright," Ryo replied with a grin.

Kazu and Kenta stared disbelievingly. Rika sighed. "Oh, get over it."

The two immediately relaxed. "Yep, it's her," Kazu declared, as though there had been doubt.

"Rika! Wow, you look great!" Jeri declared as she and Takato came up.

Rika smiled at her friend. "Thanks, but you look better."

Jeri blushed and looked away. "I do not!" She distracted herself when a new song started. It was a slow song, and many couples were heading towards the dance floor. Turning to Takato, she smiled and said, "Can we dance?"

Takato blushed and nodded. "Sure." With a nod to the others, he led his girlfriend onto the dance floor.

Ryo's grin turned mischievous and he recaptured Rika's hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss. She lifted an eyebrow. When he met her gaze, he said, "Dance with me."

She hesitated, but finally gave him a half-nod. "Ok."

Kazu, Kenta, Henry, and the newly-arrived Alice watched as the infamous Digimon King led his Queen onto the dance floor. A number of other couples sent varying looks of envy towards the couple as they passed. Neither paid them any attention. They found a spot on the floor and Ryo wrapped his arms around her waist while she wrapped hers around his neck. They swayed gently to the music, ignoring the outside world.

Later that night, the entire room erupted into applause as the newly-appointed King of the Graduating Class daringly stole a kiss from his Queen on stage. Some, including Kazu, even whistled.

_**The End**_

_**A/N:**_ Ok, the end probably needs a little work, I know. I could've made it better, but that would've involved extending the epilogue even more, and it was already kinda long…like the rest of this one-shot. But I think it (more or less) came out how I wanted it to. I really do hope you liked it, and please review!


End file.
